Editorial | A big week to be a pirate

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 2, 2026

A state championship came home on the ferry this week.

The Vashon Pirates boys soccer team brought home the WIAA Class 1A title Saturday, closing its season with a 3-0 shutout over Meridian at Federal Way Memorial Stadium. It was Vashon’s first boys soccer championship since 2019, the program’s second state title and a fitting finish for a team that spent the postseason looking nearly untouchable.

And soccer was not the only reason to cheer.

In Yakima, Lena Puz closed one of the greatest athletic careers Vashon has seen with three podium finishes at the state track and field championships, lowering her own school record in the 100-meter hurdles and adding to a resume that already includes two state wrestling titles and multiple school records.

Weeks like this remind us why local sports coverage matters. These are not just box scores. They are years of early practices, muddy cleats, long bus rides, nervous parents, packed sidelines and young people learning what it means to show up for one another.

This week also marks the beginning of Pride Month, another reminder that celebration and history often arrive together. Vashon has become a safer place to be out, but that safety was built by generations of LGBTQ+ islanders who lived fully, organized boldly, endured harm and helped shape this community.

Finally, we owe enormous thanks to contributing journalist Eddie Macsalka, who made so much of this sports coverage possible. Eddie has become a vital part of The Beachcomber’s community coverage, bringing care, energy and consistency to stories that deserve to be told well.

This week, Vashon brought home a trophy. It also gave us a lot to be proud of.